To Remember Better, Imagine the Future

A key purpose for memory isn't to just remember the past, but to be able to imagine the future. Shirley Wang reports on Lunch Break. Photo: AP.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... I ... import tool for predicting the future as much as for calling and a half the research is underway ... to map the brain and learn about the skill joined us right now to explain ... is the Wall Street Journal's surely want think semester being here so ... Slavov about the specific scenarios what specifics near the doctors now think memory can be a forward-looking tool for us ... ITT to memory and the National book in the corner kind of mental time travel so ... we can't have any memory that houses our past experiences but happen to us ... that they think that that the human ... memory actually holds its imagined future scenarios as well ... in part by trying to what's already happened to laugh and ... and imaginings of concocting I'm possibility of alternative scenarios for what might come in the future ... schools are they using his reports and data behind this training this is something you might sort of ... I imagine would be possible but they're they're using MRI sponsoring rises to the people's brains ... data are using brain imaging to look at what's going on in the brain while ... pretending activated when ... people are apt to remember what happened to them before and then ... to imagine what might happen in the future ... there are also asking people just to build literally ... a t tell you imagine and then get tomorrow more in twenty twenty two tomorrow ... and they find that I'm gonna help the people differ ... in terms of how much t tell the get ... go about their cover member and past experience at both the future when compared to for instance ... older elderly people who are showing them ... age related ... memory loss ... that's a very good thing when you talk a little bit about people who do have memory problems whether the elderly or not ... how would that impact their ability to strip ... making decisions about how others around them will react fairly ... with a look at right now with the team and if you don't actually have a appreciation or if you're using some of that ... cleaning mechanism that is actually my ... career in terms of ... I'm planning activities in and out ... and that sort of tax also ... add it to memory also seems to help you understand ... what other people are imaginings that we can imagine if you've lost some of that or courtesy of Maginot NYPD ... and may impact your decision making and a social situation maybe we need someone that ad in the ... twenty oh I mean your little bit worse at imagining I'm ... what you make the right girl in a house ... that to the ... situation or more portly making a decision so ... I'm you know someone you close the door and want to sell you something maybe ... maybe I'm in part impacting ... your